Recently we here at MPOGD took part in a roundtable interview with EverQuest
Producer Thom Terrazas to talk about the game's 13th anniversary and the news
that the game was going free-to-play starting today (March 16th). What can
players - both old and new - expect as the game becomes a teenager in the world
of MMOs?

Thirteen years ago EverQuest launched and the world of MMORPGs has never been
the same. Not only was it the first 3D MMORPG on the market, but it introduced
many ideas that are simply commonplace, core features of MMOs today like putting
guilds and raiding dungeons online. The team even just recently introduced a
new, sixth continent into the game fairly recently and that storyline should be
finishing up within the next year.

To celebrate the game's 13th anniversary, EverQuest is not only turning back on
the previous anniversary content they've made available in the past, but they've
taken past content and tied it in to some storytellers and NPCs in the Plane of
Knowledge that you can visit in order to experience both the old and new
content. You'll know that something big is going on in the Plane of Knowledge
and that there's a celebration happening too, as there will be banners and all
the bells and whistles to help you find out what's happening and help you go and
experience that content. EverQuest isn't just recycling old content for the
anniversary, as they're adding a new quest chain (13 main quests essentially)
that has you helping a new character investigate the idea of old wives tales,
stories and myths to see if they're all fake or if there is some truth to them;
the superstition storyline will have you exploring things such as if anything
happens when you step on a crack, break a mirror, and much more.

The anniversary content will be available to everyone, though there is on
asterisk - time lock progression servers might not have the Plane of Knowledge
unlocked yet given the fact that on those servers content is based on group
contribution; so if you're on a time lock progression server you might not get
to see it, but otherwise everyone is good to go and have fun.

The other big news is that EverQuest is changing to the free-to-play model of
its sibling sequel EverQuest II, as well as other Sony properties such as DC
Universe Online. One of the reasons behind the decision to go free-to-play is
actual because of the success of those two games in particular, as the uptake
has been incredible, as there has been a high increase in new players checking
the games out and past customers coming back to play them. Customers aren't just
logging in, playing once, and then leaving either, as they're constantly logging
into the games each month. Thom referenced the idea that many games feature
subscribers that feel like they own a gym membership, meaning they're subscribed
though they rarely use what's available to them, while EverQuest has maintained
a continuous following and that it's players are always around.

With EverQuest going to the free-to-play model, they're looking at making the
game as accessible as possible to returning and new players and that a big draw
is that you're allowed to play the game and customize and expand your experience
and characters as you see fit. There are some limiting unlocks on characters and
accounts, but there's nothing that will stop players from being able to
experience 100% of the game. In fact, the ability to allow players to customize
their experience was one of the top reasons the game was made free-to-play.

There are three different membership levels - Free, Silver and Gold - but
besides unlocking certain aspects or giving extra bonuses to paying members,
there is no separation between the three, so all Free, Silver and Gold members
will be able to inhabit the same server and work and play together through the
hours upon hours of content.

When you login to the game for the first time, you'll automatically be entered
into the game's achievement system, which helps keep track of events, quests
that you can do from levels 1-85, and overall help guide players so they know
what to do and where to go next as they progress through the game; it's like a
vast golden path with rewards that are often tied into gear you can earn. You'll
also be able to find NPC characters and locations easier, thanks to a wisp
system. You'll be able to look onto your map to find where you need to go, but a
wisp will also appear on your screen and help draw a line and lead you to the
person or destination you're trying to find. Players can also expect zone lines
to appear, which will help you move from one area to the next by what's deemed
as the easiest route possible.

By allowing other games go free-to-play first, EverQuest also learned how to
handle some different mechanics, such as grandfathering in some players and
characters given certain situations. When EverQuest II went free-to-play it took
about 24-hours before everyone was properly grandfathered in, but with
EverQuest's F2P launch everyone will be good to go right from the beginning. One
of the things the developers definitely didn't want to happen is to have a
previous player login to the game, only to find they could do nothing more than
sit there as their character was unavailable given how they fit into the new
membership system.

It can be hard to jump into a game that's 13-years-old as most people have
probably hit level cap - or even several times for that matter - and thus
there's nobody around to do any of the lower content together. Besides
transitioning the game to free-to-play, EverQuest will also be opening a
brand-new server, so players will have the chance to reach a milestone or earn
an item before anyone else, plus it helps bring players together at lower levels
and have the world feel that much more enriched and alive.

One of the questions a lot of people are probably asking, however, is "Why
should I want to play a game that's 13-years-old?" Thom referenced the fact that
with the introduction of competition people are naturally inclined to want to go
out and try the latest and greatest thing to see how it features up, but after
that's done a lot of fans still keep sticking with EverQuest and returning
time-after-time. Thom still thinks EverQuest is the latest and greatest game out
there, as there's a solid core group of players that play the game, there is no
"easy button," the depth of gameplay and content is there, but maybe beyond all
other things the game features rich storylines that really try to tell a story,
broaden the lore of the game, and that that's what's really going to set them
apart. When you meet certain characters or go up against major bosses, the lore
and story behind those fights is going to carryover and remain with you as an
experience you won't forget.

Whether you've played the game before or not, with EverQuest's 13th anniversary
upon us and its transition to a free-to-play model, now is the perfect time to
give this game a look and see why it's had the staying power to last all these
years.